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Diabetes Community Health Projects

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) calls type 2 diabetes an epidemic. Given the increasing recognition of the threat to communities and loved ones that diabetes represents, organizations throughout the country are taking action. The CDC -- the federal agency that tracks, researches and educates Americans on illnesses -- has joined forces with community organizations and community health care workers to alert people to how they can prevent diabetes and how to manage their disease if they have it.

  1. Federal Initiatives

    • The CDC leads a federal effort to work with community health workers across the country to develop plans to educate people on the seriousness of diabetes. The CDC says it based its decision to take a community-based approach because numerous studies showed that people paid more attention when information came from trusted, local sources. As a result, CDC works not just with health care professionals, but with "lay people" who are involved in public health programs to disseminate information on the causes, prevention and self-care of diabetes.

    State Initiatives

    • State departments of health are seeing the dangers and public costs of diabetes. That's why states including Texas and Tennessee are partnering with local government and nonprofit agencies to improve public education on diabetes. In Texas, the state funds projects with organizations such as the Texas Association of Community Health Centers, Jefferson County Family Focused Diabetes Project, and Migrant Health Promotions, Inc. In turn, these local organizations work with patients, the elderly, schools, community centers, religious organizations and social clubs to make people aware of how diet and exercise relate to contracting diabetes. Additionally, some of the organizations provide free or low-cost screenings and prescriptions such as insulin to those in need.

    Nonprofit Organizations

    • Organizations such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation use their private resources to take on pressing community health issues. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation operates 14 projects around the country focused on teaching people with diabetes how to manage their disease properly. The organization involves business, pharmaceutical companies, community health educators, park and recreation departments, religious organizations and public health agencies. Other organizations such as the Philadelphia Health Collaborative (PHC) target at-risk demographics. PHC aims to enable low- income, underserved minority communities to access education and health care services. According to PHC, African Americans and Latinos are four times more likely to contract type 2 diabetes than are Caucasians.

    Universities

    • Many universities, particularly those with medical, pharmacy and nursing schools are taking aim at their own campus communities. The School of Pharmacy at Campbell University in North Carolina, for example, began an initiative to educate staff and faculty on diet and exercise as ways to prevent diabetes. The program also tests members of the campus community for free and will supply those who are diabetic with supplies if they lack health insurance or their plans do not adequately cover the costs.

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